It’s back to school season!
Our kids start school on the 28th of August here in Howard County, Maryland (yep, the week before Labor Day!) and so these upcoming weeks are when all the back to school sales start popping up.
One nice benefit of back to school is that during August is when we have a sales tax holiday, where sales tax isn’t collected on a few items.
A few other states do the same thing and in this post, we will share with you when the sales are for this year. There are more states that offer sales tax holidays (you can review this table) but these are the only states that have these sales left this year.
(we will update this next year with more states)
Table of Contents
Connecticut
Dates: August 18th through August 24th
The sales tax holiday in Connecticut covers certain items of clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item. This applies to purchases made from retailers in CT as well as online retailers. You can get multiple items as long as they cost less than $100 each.
Special clothing or footwear primarily designed for athletic activity or protection is not included. Jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and similar items are also not included.
👉 Go to CT Department of Revenue website for more details
Florida
Dates: July 29th through August 11th
The sales tax holiday in Florida had these items exempt:
- Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles selling for $30 or less
- Most school supplies selling for $50 or less
- Clothing, footwear and accessories selling for $100 or less
- Computers and related accessories selling for $1,500 or less (when purchased for non-commercial and personal use)
👉 Go to FL Department of Revenue website for more details
Massachusetts
Dates: August 10th through August 11th
Massachusetts has the shortest tax free holiday period, just the weekend, but it exempts pretty much everything as long as it’s a “non-vice” retail item less than $2,500 bought for personal use by individuals.
It does exclude:
- Meals
- Motor vehicles
- Motorboats
- Telecommunications services
- Gas
- Steam
- Electricity
- Tobacco products
- Marijuana or marijuana products
- Alcoholic beverages, and
- Any single item whose price is more than $2,500.
👉 Go to MA Department of Revenue website for more details
Maryland
Dates: August 11th through August 17th
Maryland’s sales tax holiday includes qualifying clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less as well as the first $40 of a backpack. If your backpack costs more than $40, only the first $40 is tax free.
Accessory items are not included, which includes (but isn’t limited to) jewelry, watches, watchbands, handbags,
handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, and belt buckles. Much like other states, as long as the item is less than $100 then it is exempt and you can buy multiple items.
👉 Go to MD Department of Revenue website for more details
Ohio
Dates: July 30th through August 8th
Ohio has a sales tax holiday that includes “ll tangible personal property that is $500 or less except watercraft or outboard motors.” It includes anything that can be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched… including prewritten computer software.
If it’s tangible but over $500, it’s not included. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vapor products, as well as those containing marijuana are not included.
👉 Go to OH Department of Revenue website for more details
Texas
Dates: August 9th through August 11th
In Texas, the sales tax holiday covers most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks (sold for less than $100) and applies if you purchase from a store in Texas or an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas. Their website has an exhaustive list of what’s included but it’s similar to the rules of other states. With backpacks, there is a limit of 10 backpacks.
👉 Go to TX Department of Revenue website for more details
Other States
Here are the other states that have back to school sales tax holidays that have since passed:
- Alabama – July 19-21
- Alaska – October 1 – March 31
- Arkansas – August 3-4
- Iowa – August 2-3
- Mississippi – July 12-14
- Missouri – August 2-4
- New Mexico – August 2-4
- Tennessee – July 26-27
- Virginia – August 2-4
- West Virginia – August 2-5
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About Jim Wang
Jim Wang is a forty-something father of four who is a frequent contributor to Forbes and Vanguard’s Blog. He has also been fortunate to have appeared in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Entrepreneur, and Marketplace Money.
Jim has a B.S. in Computer Science and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in Information Technology – Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a Masters in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. His approach to personal finance is that of an engineer, breaking down complex subjects into bite-sized easily understood concepts that you can use in your daily life.
One of his favorite tools (here’s my treasure chest of tools, everything I use) is Empower Personal Dashboard, which enables him to manage his finances in just 15-minutes each month. They also offer financial planning, such as a Retirement Planning Tool that can tell you if you’re on track to retire when you want. It’s free.
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or financial institution. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
